Re: BOTM 10/10: Sazerac Rye

I'm of an interesting opinion on this one: I absolutely love Thomas Handy Sazerac, and am not a fan of the younger NAS Sazerac. While Thomas Handy is one of my (if not the) favorite whiskeys that can be found with some sort of regularity (it may be limited, but nothing compared to certain spectacular willett bottlings and other very limited single barrels), I will pass up Sazerac any chance I get.

With one exception. When making a sazerac cocktail, I find a saz dominant sazerac with a dash of the 18 year old and Handy thrown in is exceptional.

Originally Posted by SMOWK

I like to save up the charred bits in the bottom of the unfiltered stuff. When I have enough, I pour milk on it and eat it.

Re: BOTM 10/10: Sazerac Rye

Sazerac is great. A lot of people call it "baby" or "junior". I think the more aged version should be called Handy, and the regular version just Sazerac. Anyway, if I have some in the cabinet, other stuff often gets ignored. It costs around $30 locally. Sazerac seems very different compared to WT Rye or Rittenhouse. (Those are the three I can recomend). I wonder if Sazerac is more like a Maryland Rye?

Re: BOTM 10/10: Sazerac Rye

Originally Posted by PaulO

Sazerac is great. A lot of people call it "baby" or "junior". I think the more aged version should be called Handy, and the regular version just Sazerac.

I think you may be confusing 2 of the Antique Collection items. Sazerac Rye 18 years old, 90 proof, is not the same as Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey Uncut Unfiltered (no age statement, proof varies).

Re: BOTM 10/10: Sazerac Rye

Originally Posted by matthew0715

I think you may be confusing 2 of the Antique Collection items. Sazerac Rye 18 years old, 90 proof, is not the same as Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey Uncut Unfiltered (no age statement, proof varies).

Both Sazerac 18 and Thomas Handy Sazerac Rye have greater age than the standard Sazerac Rye, the THSR being eight years old and the latter six. But I can see why there is some occasional confusion. I enjoy Sazerac Rye but it doesn't knock my socks off and I definitely won't be buying another bottle any time soon. It's simply too bland for my tastes, and when I'm drinking rye I want to be bowled over by spicey flavor and aroma. I find, more so than with bourbon, that once I've hard the "exquisite" stuff (THSR, VWFRR, Saz 18, Michter's 10 Year Old Single Barrel and the less expensive Rittenhouse and WT Rye), I can't go back to the "smooth" ryes like Baby Saz and Templeton. That's not to say that I wouldn't enjoy them if someone offered me a pour, only that I wouldn't seek them out when the others are available.

"I distrust a man who says 'when.' He's got to be careful not to drink too much, because he's not to be trusted when he does." Sydney Greenstreet

Re: BOTM 10/10: Sazerac Rye

Originally Posted by unclebunk

Both Sazerac 18 and Thomas Handy Sazerac Rye have greater age than the standard Sazerac Rye, the THSR being eight years old and the latter six. But I can see why there is some occasional confusion. I enjoy Sazerac Rye but it doesn't knock my socks off and I definitely won't be buying another bottle any time soon. It's simply too bland for my tastes, and when I'm drinking rye I want to be bowled over by spicey flavor and aroma. I find, more so than with bourbon, that once I've hard the "exquisite" stuff (THSR, VWFRR, Saz 18, Michter's 10 Year Old Single Barrel and the less expensive Rittenhouse and WT Rye), I can't go back to the "smooth" ryes like Baby Saz and Templeton. That's not to say that I wouldn't enjoy them if someone offered me a pour, only that I wouldn't seek them out when the others are available.

To correct my own post, I've just been reading that the THSR is, in fact, six years old, not eight as I had previously commented. I'm not sure where I got eight from? Has it always been six years old?

"I distrust a man who says 'when.' He's got to be careful not to drink too much, because he's not to be trusted when he does." Sydney Greenstreet